Keep it chill, but meet tonight.

Chiang Mai nights are so much fun

Chiang Mai is not a city in a hurry. In the evening people start with dinner at a market or their usual khao soi spot, then sit down to live music around Nimman or at a place by the Ping River. Lang Mor has small spots for university students, and in the Old City bars hide in the lanes around the moat.

When the cool season arrives, the weather is so pleasant that almost everyone sits outside. Walking streets get busy and places set up tables in the open air: the best time of year to meet someone new. But whatever the season, YesTonite works the same way. See who is going out tonight, send one message and pick a place that suits you both. Chilled, Chiang Mai style, just without waiting a week.

Friday and Saturday are the busiest, and the cool season from November to February is when the most people are out. Many places in Chiang Mai close earlier than in Bangkok, so start a bit early to stay out longer.

Where Chiang Mai goes out

• NimmanhaeminNimman Road and its sois, full of cafes, bars and live music spots. The busiest area in town.
• Lang MorThe area behind Chiang Mai University, with affordable restaurants and laid-back student hangouts.
• Old CityThe lanes around the moat hide lots of small bars, live music spots and restaurants.
• Tha PhaeTha Phae Gate and Tha Phae Road, a popular meeting point near the Sunday Walking Street.
• RiversideRestaurants and bars along the Ping River, a lovely setting for an unhurried dinner.
• SantithamAn area near Nimman with local restaurants and small places open into the evening at fair prices.